Elemental
by Negolith
Summary: Teyla, alone in the gym, displays her warrior soul.


_Author's Note: This was written for an audition to play Teyla in an RPG._

Teyla rolled her shoulders, then her neck as she padded out silently to the center of the small gym. It had been a very long time since she had the place to herself and the quiet was a welcome and much needed change. She spun her Bantos rods before settling into the basic defense stance. She took a moment to clear her mind, and after a half dozen deep breaths began the first flowing steps of the Water forms. These were the first basic forms her father had taught her, and the foundation for all the others to follow. Defend, attack, deceive, lure, evade – all flowed naturally into one another like slow eddies in a wide river. But even the calmest river was capable of pulling a man under with hidden currents, and the speed with which the rods whistled through the air only hinted at the strength guiding them. She only battled air at the moment, but should she connect, bones would break.

Teyla felt her muscles warming, stretching, but she felt she was still too tense and repeated the forms. By the time she segued into the Wind forms her muscles were pleasantly humming and a fine sweat covered her skin. She spun, her feet never leaving an invisible inscribed circle whose radius was no longer than her natural reach, and crossed the rods in a whirling attack designed to unsettle one's opponent. Back and forth, over, weaving with a speed that was impressive to behold. She glided to her right and into a deceptive attack where one rod served as shield, the other darting in to take out an opponent's hamstring as she spun again. She danced with the rods, a bronze whirlwind seemingly trapped within a space hardly more than four feet in diameter, her hair flying and her eyes closed and her muscles singing with the memory of each movement.

Then came the Fire forms.

She had taught Ronon only a few of the advanced attacks – though he was good and a quick study, these, the most advanced of the forms, took years to master and a discipline she felt the Satedan had yet to reach. His anger still held too much sway over his actions, but some day…. And the Colonel…. A faint smile touched her lips as she decided he would more than likely hurt himself. However, if he could ever find peace with himself … ah, then it would be hard to say.

Teyla lunged in a particularly vicious attack, rods a dark blur, and could almost hear the sound of a throat being crushed and broken. She snapped to the side, her feet still within the confines of her invisible barrier, and took out another throat. Spin, lunge, attack – the movements seemingly rapid and random, the rods an extension of her own hands and arms as she attacked multiple opponents. To be a master of the Fire forms, one had to know _precisely_ where body and weapons were at all times. The rods whistled within a hair's breadth of one another, her footing solid but flowing, her balance low and the attacks full of startling power. Sweat flew from her hair as she spun again, her eyes closed and a content, lip parted smile on her face that was completely at odds with the chaotic, dangerous attacks she wove.

Another spin brought her nearly to the edge of her circle and the rods whistled. Had they been blades an enemy's intestines would be on the ground at her feet.

She wasn't sure what made her freeze, rods held ready in the first basic defensive Water form, but when she suddenly opened her eyes she found two more sets of eyes staring back at her. John and Ronon stood a couple steps from the door, both wearing matching awed expressions, their gear hanging forgotten in their hands. She glanced at the clock and relaxed her stance. "I'm … I'm sorry," she panted out. "I lost track of time."

"It's … good," Ronon rumbled, then a second later broke into a huge grin.

"Um, yeah," John added, his tone sounding a bit dazed.

Teyla ducked her head and smiled before she went over to the bench to retrieve her towel. Her arms and shoulders were burning, and it was good to feel after so many months of inaction. She loved the time she spent with her son – she would not trade it for anything – but there were times when she needed the discipline of the rods, the calm of Water, the spirit of Wind, and the chaos of Fire.

And that would never change.

She draped the towel around her neck, and as she walked past the two men she almost laughed at the still mildly befuddled expression on John's face. "It is all yours, gentlemen."

"Hey, Teyla – can you teach me that last move?" Ronon asked her as she left the gym.

"Hmmm," was all she replied. Then she did laugh when she heard John's muttered comment before the doors closed.

"Man, she would so kick your ass with that."

_End Note: I did get the part. :)_


End file.
